evaluating the effect of jammer radiation on learning and memory in male rats

Background: previous studies shown that mobile phone can impairment of working memory in humans. objective: in this study, the effect of radiofrequency radiation emitted from common mobile jammers have been studied on the learning and memory of rats.material and methods: in this prospective study, 90 sprague-dawley rats, were divided into 9 groups (n=10): control, sham1st (exposed to a switched-off mobile jammer device at a distance of 50 or 100 cm/1 day, 2 hours), sham2nd (similar to sham1st, but for 14 days, 2 h/day), experimental1st -50 cm/1 day &100 cm/1 day (exposed to a switched-on device at a distance of 50 or 100 cm for 2 hours), experimental2nd (similar to experimental1st, but for 14 days, 2 h/day). the animals were tested for learning and memory the next day, by the shuttle box. the time that a rat took to enter the dark part was considered as memory. results: mean short-term memory was shorter in the experimental- 50 cm/1 day than control and sham- 50 cm/1 day (p=0.034), long-term memory was similar. mean short- and long-term memory were similar in the experimental- 100 cm/1 day, control and sham- 100 cm/1 day (p>0.05). mean short-term memory was similar in experimental- 50 cm/14 days, control, and sham- 50 cm/14 days (p=0.087), but long-term learning memory was shorter in the radiated group (p=0.038). mean short- and long-term were similar among experimental-100 cm/14 days, control or sham 100 cm/14 days (p>0.05).  conclusion: rats exposed to jammer device showed dysfunction in short- and long-term memory, which shown the unfavorable effect of jammer on memory and learning. our results indicated that the distance from radiation source was more important than the duration.